Hospital Ships - T-AH

DescriptionTwo hospital ships owned and operated by Military Sealift Command provide emergency, on-site care for U.S. combatant forces deployed in war or other operations. The hospital ships’ secondary mission is to provide full hospital services to support U.S. disaster relief and humanitarian operations worldwide.

FeaturesUSNS Mercy (T-AH 19) and USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) each contain 12 fully-equipped operating rooms, a 1,000 bed hospital facility, digital radiological services, a medical laboratory, a pharmacy, an optometry lab, a CAT-scan and two oxygen producing plants. Each ship is equipped with a helicopter deck capable of landing large military helicopters. The ships also have side ports to take on patients at sea.

BackgroundBoth hospital ships are converted San Clemente-class super tankers. Mercy was delivered in 1986 and Comfort in 1987. Normally, the ships are kept in a reduced operating status in Norfolk, VA, and San Diego, CA, by a small crew of civil service mariners and active duty Navy medical and support personnel. Each ship can be fully activated and crewed within five days.

Point Of ContactMSC Public Affairs
471 East C. St.
Norfolk, VA 23511-2419
(757) 443-3984
http://www.msc.navy.mil

General Characteristics, Mercy Class

Builder: Built and converted by National Steel and Shipbuilding Co., San Diego, Calif.